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by Mark Viggiano, Marketing & Sales Manager, Tomlinson Bomberger Lawn Care & Landscape, Inc., Lancaster, PA
With apologies to David Letterman, here is a Top Ten list of common landscaping mistakes:
#10. The prune diet. Improper or unnecessary pruning practices can destroy the beauty and structural integrity of shrubs and trees. Shrubs are not supposed to look like groomed poodles at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show and trees should never, never, never be topped. Some companies will talk you into topping, but they’re more concerned about their own bottom line, leaving you with a smaller bank account and a tree that’s now dying a slow death.
#9. The same old same old. Stroll through the landscape section of any BigBox home-improvement store and you’ll see the same boring trees and shrubs for sale. Yet there’s such diversity of plant material available to us in this geographical area, if you know where to find it. Shop at specialized nurseries or consult a landscape designer instead. There are so many beautiful species that will grow and thrive in our climate, providing flowers, shapes, colors and variety that will make your landscape the envy of the neighborhood.
#8. Not pulling up roots. Nothing lasts forever, so they say, including landscape plant material. Sometimes professional pruning can extend the useful life of a tree or shrub in the short term, but ultimately the best approach may be to literally pull up roots and start over again. If you begin with a professional planning process, you’ll know whether your landscape has a ten-year or 20-year lifespan, and you’ll be able to plan – and plant – accordingly.
#7. Harder may be easier. Landscaping isn’t limited to plantings. Fences, decks, patios, pools, water features and walks come under the category of “hardscape.” Not only do these amenities provide variety, functionality and aesthetic interest, they also reduce maintenance issues and offer solutions to problem areas where plantings won’t or shouldn’t grow.
#6. Labor pains. Overplanted landscapes require unnecessary maintenance and can result in “turf wars” for sunlight, water and air. Don’t be in a rush to be lush. Selective planting will save more dollars, require less work and provide the opportunity for harmonious growth.
#5. No growth strategy. It’s not enough to have something planted that looks good today. You have to be able to visualize what a tree or shrub will look like in five years or ten years or longer. You don’t want to plant something that will overpower your house or yard when it reaches maturity, nor do you want to have windows or doorways obstructed. Like a reliable financial planner, a skilled landscape designer will be able to show you how your investment will grow over time, even if it means you have to start a little smaller than you thought.
#4. The plan, Boss, the plan. Randomness is not a good landscaping trait. Buying something that’s in bloom and trying to find a place for it usually results in a hodgepodge appearance. Whether you read books, attend workshops or seek professional advice, proper planning is a critical first step. Otherwise you may end up with maintenance problems, property damage or testy neighbor relations.
#3. Too mulch of a good thing. Usually, three or four inches of mulch are all you need to get functional coverage. More than that will waste dollars, repel water, invite unwanted insects and encourage decay of tree trunks. Replace the mulch annually.
#2. No “Plan for all Seasons.” Ideally, a landscape should contain four-season interest: different barks, flowers, berries, leaves and colors so that there’s always something different happening and always something to look forward to. Incorporating container gardening into a landscape will provide limitless opportunities to add annuals and other seasonal varieties and splashes of color.
#1. Soil many choices, soil little time. A few minutes spent identifying your soil conditions – we recommend an inexpensive professional soil test – will provide the information needed to enrich, enhance or replace the soil and/or to select the proper plant materials for the soil you have. It’s senseless and wasteful to put healthy trees, shrubs or plants in soil that won’t support their growth.
Tomlinson Bomberger is a full-service lawn care, landscape and pest control company serving more than 5,000 residential and commercial clients throughout Lancaster County and vicinity. Specialties include landscape design and installation, tree and shrub pruning and care, athletic field and large turf management, edging and mulching, seasonal lawn care fertilization and weed control, and outdoor and indoor pest protection.
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